should-i-fix-the-minor-damage-to-my-car

Should I Fix The Minor Damage To My Car?

Driving in a city like Vancouver can be dicey. There are so many cars on the roads that are either clogged or narrow, cyclists flying by on all sides, and people in a mad hurry to get wherever they are going.

In other words, it’s an accomplishment to avoid an accident forever. Many people will experience a minor accident at one point or another. Hopefully it will be something small that doesn’t cause any serious collision damage. (This is to say nothing of the mystery dings and dents that one finds in the body of their car.)

Most people will back into a pole, bump into the back of another car or miss swerving to avoid that huge pothole. They will get out, run their hand over the damage and think, “looks fine.” But looks aren’t everything when it comes to damage to your car.

One question that many people ask is: Should I fix minor damage to my car?

Our advice: you should at least have it looked at by a qualified technician.

Even light fender benders and minor accidents can lead to internal structural damage in a vehicle, and this can have serious consequences down the road. And most people won’t be able to detect the damage, certainly not by just looking at the vehicle.

For example, let’s take all wheel drive vehicles. While they are very useful in Canadian winters, even Vancouver winters like this past one, they have a particular design that makes them vulnerable to frame damage. Even during a slowish rear end collision means this type of car could have the rear axle and drive shaft pushed into the vehicle’s transmission. This, in turn, can cause the transmission to slip.

Other problems can arise with even minor frame damage. Things like the airbag not deploying or the vehicle’s ability to absorb impact being affected. Without these mechanisms functioning properly, a person’s life can be at risk in the event of a larger accident.

Even things that seem small like hitting a bumpy pothole can cause trouble in the vehicle. Some problems we’ve fixed include: tire and wheel rim damage, worn shocks and struts, steering system misalignment, and exhaust system and engine damage.

Like a human body, if damage happens and it’s not looked at and properly fixed, it’s probably only to get worse in time. Damage can also have a domino effect, if something is misaligned now, it can cause something else to break, then something else, until major repairs are needed.

If you are in a minor accident, don’t just brush it off. Exchange insurance information with the other party if there is one and go through the proper channels. It can seem like overkill or you might be worried about the cost, but the long term cost could end up being much greater.

In other words, don’t take any chances! It’s not worth it. Even in minor accidents, bring your vehicle into a technician so they can give you the green light or fix things and perform dent repairs, before they get worse. Or to our auto body shop in Vancouver.